The Santiam Wagon Road makes up 37 miles of the Oregon Timber Trail Deschutes Tier. Trail users can travel west from Sisters over Santiam Pass and through the headwaters of the McKenzie River towards the historic Fish Lake Work Center. The Santiam Wagon Road was built as a response to the influx of settlers coming to the Willamette Valley on the Oregon Trail. Soon all the workable land was snatched up and emigrants headed back east over Santiam Pass to settle Oregon’s central valley ranch land. While less rugged and steep than many routes, the wagon road was—and still is—an arduous journey. Belknap Crater and numerous spatter cones belched out loose volcanic sand across the range a few thousand years ago creating a frustratingly unstable road surface for wagons and mountain bikes alike.
Photo: Gabe Tiller
Celebrate the cultural heritage of the Santiam Wagon Road (SWR) and step back in time at the historic Fish Lake Remount Depot on Saturday, September 28th from 10 AM to 4 PM. This family-friendly event features living history, site tours, packstring demonstrations, local Native American artisans, historic wagons, vintage cars, and the Leland Gilsen Traveling Museum. For more information visit our friends over at Cascade Volunteers.
